1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a hockey puck that transmits electromagnetic signals which permit the enhancement of the image of the puck on a television monitor without affecting the appearance of the puck to the hockey players or spectators at the hockey rink.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hockey has become a popular sport worldwide. Active participation in hockey games and fan attendance have increased substantially. However, the number of viewers watching professional hockey games on television has not increased proportionally.
Hockey has not been a very popular sport for television viewing because of the problems in the television coverage of hockey. When hockey was first broadcasted on television, the bright white color of the ice would overwhelm early television cameras causing the image on the television screen to suffer from huge glare. The solution, at the time, was to die the ice light blue. Camera technology has since solved the brightness problem.
Today, television viewing of a hockey game is hampered by poor visibility and distortion of the hockey puck. The puck is small, and is passed, shot and deflected at high speeds. A standard hockey puck is three inches in diameter and one inch high. A television viewer sees only a limited portion of the ice and the scene being viewed changes rapidly as the camera moves to follow the action. In order to be able to view all areas of the ice rink, cameras must be located far from the ice rink. Thus, on a 19" television screen, a standard hockey puck tends to appear as a small dot on the screen. As a result, it is difficult to follow the puck from player to player, and it is especially difficult to follow the puck as it is shot toward the goal and either deflected, caught or missed by the goalie. For most viewers, recognizing that a goal has been scored probably comes after the fact when a signal light is lit or the announcer informs the viewer that a goal has been scored. Because viewers cannot follow the puck, they do not sustain interest in the game. Although hockey is a popular sport, telecasts of hockey games would have wider appeal and be more fully enjoyed if the movement of the puck could be more closely followed.
In an attempt to make a puck more visible to a viewer, it has been proposed to insert a visible light source in the puck. For example, one proposal included using chemiluminescence to enhance visibility of a puck. Chemiluminescent materials produce phosphorescence glow by converting chemical energy into visible light. In essence, the puck has a core which glows. The glow from the core is then transmitted to the surface of the puck using light channels. Another alternative suggested the use of light emitting diodes as the light source inside the puck. The problem with these proposals is that the puck will look different to the players in the game and to the fans at the arena, and probably will not be bright enough to enhance the visibility of the puck on a television monitor. Because the puck is emitting visible light, it could make it harder for players to see the puck. For example, glare from the puck could hamper a goalie's vision. Furthermore, a puck emitting light may blend in with the ice or arena lights. Although television viewers have problems seeing the puck, fans and players at the arena are able to see the puck because the puck is black against a white surface. Having the puck emit light reduces its contrast and makes it harder for people at the arena to see the puck. Finally, using chemicals to produce light has inherent dangers in instances where the puck breaks and chemicals leak out.
Another proposal included coating the puck with a retroreflective material which reflects light directly back to the source of the light. To enhance the puck, a light source is placed near the television camera in order to direct a beam of light at the puck. This beam of light would then be reflected back to the television camera enhancing the visibility of the puck. One problem is that light may be incident upon the puck from other sources than the light source at the television camera. For example, the arena may have light sources which cause light to be reflected off the puck. These reflections could change the visibility of the puck for the fans and the players. Another problem is that many television broadcasters place cameras behind the goal. If these cameras are coupled to a light directed at the puck, the reflection from the puck could be directly in the goalie's eyes. Furthermore, retroreflective material on the surface of a hockey puck could change the size, color, texture or coefficient of friction of the hockey puck, thus, altering the game.
The above solutions have not been successful and have not been adopted by the established hockey leagues because they change the visibility of the puck for the players and fans at the arena. Thus, there is need for a hockey puck which is more visible to the television viewer, but looks the same as a conventional puck to the players and fans at the arena. Furthermore, for any new hockey puck to be adopted by the established leagues, the new puck must have the same relative size, weight and elasticity as a conventional puck.